Leader of Yemen's Houthis: We Will Fight Alongside Hezbollah in the Next War Against Israel

The leader of the Ansar Allah movement in Yemen stated that in any new military confrontation between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon, his forces will fight against Israel. Abdul-Malik al-Houthi, in an interview with the Lebanese newspaper al-Akhbar on Friday, April 3, emphasized that Ansar Allah's promise to Hassan Nasrallah, the Secretary-General of Hezbollah, to fight alongside Hezbollah is 'not an empty promise.' He warned that if the 'Zionist enemy commits any folly' against Ansar Allah's allies, they will face many 'eager' Houthis in Lebanon or 'occupied Palestine.' The Houthi leader claimed that during the Yemeni civil war, Israel has supported Emirati officers; the UAE is part of the Arab coalition led by Saudi Arabia in this three-year war. Abdul-Malik al-Houthi denied the transfer of long-range missiles from Iran or Hezbollah to Yemen's Ansar Allah but stated that 'communication with the Islamic Republic of Iran and Hezbollah, within the framework of Islamic unity and brotherhood, is a duty.' Some assessments suggest that Hezbollah, alongside the Islamic Republic of Iran, has contributed to helping the Ansar Allah militants extend the range of their missiles. Iran has confirmed its 'advisory' role in Yemen. The Houthi leader also commented on Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's visit to the U.S., stating that Salman's request to Donald Trump for assistance and further sanctions against Iran 'only reflects the magnitude of the defeat of the treacherous Arab coalition that has led Yemen to destruction.' During his visit to the U.S., the Saudi Crown Prince emphasized that Iran has a 'destructive role' in Yemen by supporting the Houthis; the Yemen war and Iran's role in it were among the topics discussed between Mohammed bin Salman and Donald Trump at the White House. The 'oath' of the leader of the ten thousand Houthi fighters to stand practically alongside Hezbollah militants against Israel comes as Israeli leaders have recently stated that Iran will bring its allies to the region for future wars against Israel. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has claimed that Iran has prepared thousands of fighters for military operations against Israel. The Houthis, a Zaidi Shia group allied with the Islamic Republic of Iran, claim to represent thirty percent of Yemen's population. Following the internal events in Yemen in 2011 that led to the ousting of President Ali Abdullah Saleh, they took control of significant parts of Yemen, including the Saada province, but their major success was in September 2014 when they seized control of Sana'a, the capital of Yemen. However, since March 2015, the Ansar Allah militants have been fighting against Yemeni forces supported by the Saudi-led Arab coalition and have also launched missiles towards Saudi territory. The Yemen war, alongside the blockade of the country, has resulted in the deaths of over ten thousand people and the outbreak of infectious diseases such as cholera.